In case others come across this thread. Here is my understanding of what happened to some of the MacPhersons from Tasmania, mainly John (b.1839). They certainly were Scottish travellers!
Duncan MacPherson senior (b.1810) returned to the UK from Tasmania in 1863 (he was 53) after running a successful Mercantile business. He returned the the UK with 2nd wife and children (William age 14, Isabella Ann 19, John 24 ). He left his oldest son Duncan in Tasmania to run the business.
Duncan seniors, son, John (b.1839) married Anne (Annie) Agatha Wilson (b 25 May 1841 in Edinburgh) on 12 Jan 1864. She was the sister of the successful Scottish industrialist David Wilson from Dundee who ran the Bullionfield paper mill and built the still standing Greystane manor which is now a hotel. (Interestingly David Wilson spent some of his youth in the Victorian gold fields where he was able to make a start for himself before returning to Scotland). John and his new wife Annie returned to NZ in 1864, to Invercargill and setup a mercantile business. His younger brother William may have returned with them to NZ. They had 3 children in NZ (Isabel b.1865, Margaret 1867, Winifred 1869). After John’s sister Isabelle died in the UK in 1870, John and family returned to the UK in 1872. William stayed in NZ to manage the mercantile business.
John and family stayed in the UK for 13 years, 4th child Duncan was born in Northumberland in 1873. They had moved to St Briavels Gloucestershire, 1878/79. John bought the Cone Paper mill in 1879 which he worked until 1884 when he sold it. Sadly, Johns daughter Isabel had died Dec 22 1879 in Aylesmore Gloucestershire, his father Duncan died in 1882 also in Gloucestershire.
John, his wife and three remaining children then moved back to NZ in 1884 and resumed business in Invercargill with his brother William who was still there. John was involved in the rescue of the survivors from the shipwreck Grafton in 1884, we still have the silver plate presented to John from the U.S government thanking him for his help. John and family stayed in NZ until in 1891 when John, Annie and daughters all moved to San Diego, California. Only the son Duncan remained in NZ. John and Annie both lived the rest of their lives in San Diego, the two daughters married Americans. Duncan (b.1873) lived the rest of his life in NZ, he married a ms.Gardner and lived on Rye St, Otautau. They had three children Mary Inaha (known as Weira 1898-1975), Anne Ione (my grandmother 1901-1988), Elizabeth Struan (1906-1995) John (1916 in Otautau-1941 died over Rangoon Burma in WW2). Duncan's descendants are still mainly in NZ and AU.
